


Retrouvailles

by BrownSugarC



Category: NCIS: New Orleans
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-09 05:17:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15260232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrownSugarC/pseuds/BrownSugarC
Summary: Christopher LaSalle is reluctantly temporarily assigned to Washington, D.C.  As he faces a new city and a diminished NCIS team; he boards a plane for the nation's capital.  This story allows NCIS lovers to witness his journey. Thank goodness we don't have to rely on English as the only translation of verbal communication. The story title is French and means ‘The happiness of meeting again after a long time. (hint, hint!)





	1. Change of Orders

“Good morning Christopher.”  “Oh, hell, what is it King you don’t call me that this early in the morning for nothing unless it’s bad news.”

“Depends on what you call bad news.  I’m detailing you to D.C.  They are still reeling from their recent losses.  Gibbs can use a good man until they find their footing.  So get your gear together including your passport. Unfortunately I do not know how long that you will be gone” 

"Tammy.  I’m going on a vacation” I saying laughing.  “Where to?  Your old stomping ground Washington.”  “Oh I have some great memories from being in D.C.  I’ll give you a list of places to go.” 

“Maybe you can catch up with Percy.  Suspecting she has found some good places to party since she has been there.  I have only spoken to her once since she has been gone.  I think she wanted to put us in the rear view mirror.  “You can say it Tammy.  You mean put me in the rear view mirror.  We all know I’m the primary reason she took off.”  “I didn’t say that to accuse you LaSalle.”  “I know Tammy.  I’ve done enough to do that myself.  I knew I should have spoken up when she first said she was leaving.  Then when she showed up on the scene that day, I was relieved but not smart enough to rethink the situation.”

“I never told you that on her last day we verbally spoke about ‘what if’.  It was too late then.  It will take a long while to get her out of my heart though. Don’t look at me like that Tammy.  You know that I can be a knuckle head too. You also knew what was going on with us.  I just couldn’t see it.  I thought I had stopped it but you were right.  She’s right here” I say as I point to my heart.   That’s why you haven’t seen me out a lot.  I’ll spend time with you guys and boys not out, but I’m not ready to find another woman.  Not until I can ditch this feeling, I mean these feelings.”

“It hurts doesn’t LaSalle?  I miss her too. I had a long time to think in my counseling sessions.  I can’t believe that Sonja and I bonded so quickly.  We had a lot of talks about you Christopher.  I would gamble even further than what I said before.  I think that the girl fell in love with you and if you will be honest with yourself, I think you cared more than you want to admit to yourself.”

I was quiet as I got my stuff together out of my desk and closet.  “Tammy I need to go pack.  Take care of yourself and the nerdy one.  Text me Percy’s phone number when you find will you please?”

 Thanks to modern technology, Christopher LaSalle had no problem finding the D.C. NCIS offices.  He wondered at the heavy level of security and would be reminded that their office was recently bombed and the several assassination attempts on agents and staff.  He had hardly been in the office when he noticed the director waiving to him from the balcony. 

“Good Morning Agent LaSalle.  Welcome to D.C.  Is everything going well for you?”  We exchange some small talk.  Well, I have some news for you.  I will be detailing you to a multi-unit Task Force.  It’s a good thing we told you to bring your passport. You might well need it.”

“I have been impressed with your leadership while Agent Pride was recovering from the attack on his life.  This assignment will allow you to broaden your scope of the mission of NCIS and a vantage point of agency interactions that we undertake.   I know from your reports that you have worked with the FBI and the Coast Guard but there are a great number of agencies that we work with all over the world.”

“Here is the address that you will need to report to in the morning.  It’s a non-descript looking building so put it in your directional equipment and it will get you there.

Good luck and remember to keep your head down. While you’re here, would you please take a few minutes to greet the team downstairs including the new workers in the lab?  They could use seeing a friendly face.  Plus it will keep them out of my office finding some reason to check up on me.”

Well, I guess I’m not in Kansas anymore I think.  All I need is to be around a bunch of suits that I don’t know.  Wish I could have stayed in ‘Nola’.

 


	2. The Assignment

I had tried once again to contact Percy on the number that Tammy gave me.  The voicemail was still full.  That’s it I decided.  I would try again at the end of the week.

I found my way to the right address or so I thought.  It was just a regular looking office building.  Talk about cloak and dagger.

I entered the door and we went through a normal security screen then I was directed to an elevator. I thought it odd that it was on a different wall from where the other two were.  When I got off however, it was like I was transported to a different world.  Everything was shiny.  Everyone was in suits and moving along.

“Agent LaSalle?”  “Yes”  I responded wondering how she knew who I was.  “I’m Elly Johnson.  Welcome.  Do you need coffee?”  “No, I’m good” I responded while still looking a little shell shocked. 

“We’re still waiting for a couple of folks.  Why don’t you go on into Conference Room B over there and find a seat.”

Seated, I looked out the window.  There were cars everywhere I thought as my mind wandered off.  I knew her laugh as soon as I heard it and l looked around to see Sonja Percy enter the room.

I stand open mouth.  Waiving that shy waive, I finally got her attention.  She gave me that classic Percy smile and made her way over to me.  “Chris LaSalle” she exclaims as I hugged her tightly.  “What are you doing here?”  “ I was sent here from NCIS is all I can tell you.”

“How long have you been here?”  “I flew in Saturday afternoon.  I’ve tried to call you for three days Percy” “Oh great, I never checked out all those calls.  They’re usually just trying to sell me something.  I just got back in Country last Tuesday and spent several days sleeping then got out briefed Thursday and Friday.”

Just then in walks the Director and another suit that I don’t recognize.

_Sonja’s View Point_

Parking is always ridiculous out here.  I don’t mind walking but getting all wet is not my idea of a good start to a day.

I can’t believe that I’m being reassigned so soon.  Haven’t been back week and still can’t sleep. I can’t wait to see what I’ll be doing this time.

 No big deal.  Elevator way over there?  WTH?  “Oh lookee here! I think as the door pops open.  Look at the suits.  Guess I’m under dressed.  “Hey is this the White Cloud Briefing?”  Gee there are quite a few people in here. 

Oh you are kidding me I think as I look across the room.  I just know that that isn’t Christopher LaSalle.  Stop girl.  Now don’t run.  Don’t get excited.  Be cool.  I hold myself back from running to his seat. 

“Chris LaSalle” I say as he embraces me.  “It so good to see you.  What are you doing here?”  “I’m on assignment.”  “Me too.  Here, sit down.”

Just then in walks my boss and Director Vance.

 “Good Morning everyone.  I’m Leon Vance director of NCIS. This is assist Director John King from the FBI.

“This is Elly Johnson who has been assigned as the Project Operations officer. We’ll dispense with the pleasantries right now.  We are going to pass out the briefing books and get started”.

90 minutes later

“Okay everyone.  We are going to take a lunch break here.  There are box lunches right across the hall.  Remember to leave what you have heard this morning in this room.”

 “So La Salle, how are you?” Percy asks.  “Better now that I see you.  The D.C. people are still reeling from Clay’s death and Abbey leaving.   Getting the director back was no picnic for them either.  He looks better in person than on the screen.  I heard they broke him up pretty bad.  Now that they are all back together, you can see they are still off their game.”

“So where are you staying?”  The Waterfront”  “You’re kidding that’s just about 2 miles from me.”

“So do you have plans for tonight” I ask?  “How about dinner?”  “Hey that sounds great.  I know this place where we can both eat.  They have dancing too.”

“Hey I have to go by my office after we are done” Percy says.  “Why don’t I pick you up about 5:30 then I can go home and change.”

“Looks like everybody’s heading back.  We better get going.”

 


	3. Catch Up

“So I forgot to ask you if you missed me?”  “Yes we miss you Percy, it’s so quiet without you!”

“So how is everybody?  King?  Did he get it together yet?”  “He’s really working on it Percy.  I wish you give the guy a break.”

“What about my girl?  No response. “Chris, Chris, look at me.  How’s Tammy?  I heard about the kidnapping.  When I called her she changed the subject.”  “She was having some issues before that” I spoke up.  “The agency psychologist made her go to counseling after the kidnapping.” 

“Wait Chris.  Hold that thought we’re here at the restaurant.  Do you mind if we just do take out?”  “Sure Percy, that sounds fine.  I heard about this fabulous place you’re supposed to have”.

_Later at Percy’s Condo_

“Now tell me about my girl Chris.”  She started spinning out right after you left.  You know Tammy she can deflect and come back at you in a different direction and keep you frustrated.”  “Unlike me, huh?” I say as she rolls her eyes at me.  “Sabastian nailed it first.  Evidentially she had a series of one night stands.  I noted she hadn’t always showered when she came in.” 

“I guess I could have done better keeping touch with her but, but…” “But what Percy?”  “But I thought that I really needed a clean break.”  “You mean from me, right?” “Don’t LaSalle. We’re supposed to be enjoying our reunion right now.  Let me grab a quick shower.  I’ll put the food in the warmer”

“Man I feel a lot better.  I usually run at this time of day but I guess one day won’t kill me.  Hey the wine glasses are over there” she said pointing.  As I pass Percy I get a whiff of the soap on her skin

“What was that look for?”  “Oh, I just had a memory.”  “Memory with a smile like that?”  “Well it was about you.”  “Me?”  “Yes, every morning when you would get into my truck I could smell that soap on your skin.”  “What are you doing LaSalle?  Something I should have done a long time ago.”  “Chris don’t.”  “Don’t what.  Don’t kiss you here or touch your neck here.  If you really want me to stop just say so Sonja”  “The food.”  “It’ll wait.”  I say as I pepper her neck and throat with kisses.”

“Okay LaSalle let’s eat before the food gets too dry.”  “If you insist but I assure you we will come back to this.”

“I don’t suppose you have any Bonnie Raitt or Faith Hill” I ask ? “The computer is on the other side of that wall.  You can put it on the sound system.”

After we eat I go in and change the music to some Johnny Mathias. “Come here and dance with me Percy.  I have really missed you city mouse.”  “I can see.”  “You don’t really expect me to be this close to you like this and not have my body respond do you?”  “I don’t know what to think Chris.  The last thing that I expected today was to see you again.”

“Look let’s just dial it back and call Gregorio.”  “Alright if that’s what you want.”

“Hey Tammy.”  “Hey LaSalle what’s up?  Look who I ran into I say as I move my phone.”  “Sonja, Sonja how are you?”  Tammy exclaims.  “I’m fine but I don’t know why you needed me and didn’t call?”

“Thanks big mouth Chris.”  “Tammy I will always be here for you.  Sorry that we can’t tell you what’s going on here.  “Well I’m just glad to see that the mouse twins are back together.”  We chat for a few minutes and then Tammy says  “Hey guys, I have to go.  Good seeing you both.”

“Look Chris, I probably need to get you back to the hotel.  We have a long day tomorrow with the mission prep.”

“All right Percy.  Just so you know that I would like to stay a while longer.”  “Not today Chris.  First I still have laundry to catch up with.  Second, you can’t stay any longer because I may be tempted not to let you go.”  “Well will you give me a good night kiss?”  “I guess if that will get you out the door.”

Sonja found the soul station and before she turned up the music she said “take a good look . You’re probably going to need to know how to get back to your hotel in the dark eventually.”

I turned my head, looked out the window and smiled broadly to myself.

“We’re here Country mouse.  Good night and rest well.  Say I can just pick you up on the way in tomorrow.”  “I think that that would be just fine Percy.”

 


	4. The Operation

So the time had come to find out exactly what I would be doing for the next few weeks.  I had to make Chris go back to his hotel and sleep.  He has no idea the amount of information that they will be throwing at us tomorrow.  While you can take notes, they have to stay in your folder which is locked up each night.  Every morning you check your folder out and every night back in with your thumb print.  I saw them go get a guy once and once they got the folder back the helped him pack and put him on a plane back to where ever he came from.

Chris must have run that morning because he looked red faced when he got in the car.

“Good morning Country Mouse.”  “Hey beautiful.  Can I kiss you lipstick and all?  Does it stay on forever?  Thank you.  I think that will get me to lunch.”  “Here.  Take this and try getting it off.”

Chris proceeded to ask me a bunch of questions.  I finally said “it’s just something that you have to experience for yourself.  It cannot be fully explained, just experienced.

“Hey LaSalle.  I haven’t seen you in years.  What are you up to?”  “Craig Johnson?  Where are you now?”  “Still with NCIS?”  “Yes, I’m in Boston.  I got detailed for this assignment.  I have no idea why I’m on an overseas gig”.  “You going in here too?”  “Yeah.  I have no idea what’s going on.”

“Everybody grab a seat please..  We’ll reconfigure this room this afternoon.  After a quick up brief, we’ll give you some time to read through the entire mission.  Remember it’s classified so you should not be discussing this with anyone outside of this secure room except for the two directors.

All right ladies and gentlemen.  We need you to come up one at a time and greet Agent Kelly over there.  He will pull your prints from the system and assign your briefing packing.  You need to try to memorize as much data as you can over the next few weeks.  You are allowed to take notes but nothing can leave this room until we issue you your new identity papers.  Even then you can only take the assigned passport, drivers’ license and credit cards for this mission. 

All of you have bolted safes in your living quarters.  There may come a day when you will need to completely swap out your legal identity with the one in your briefing folders.  On that day, you will exchange those credentials with every identifying document in your bags, purses, suitcases, briefcase as well as your birth certificate and government issued passport.

All right so let’s get started.

This is John Pierre [Moreau](https://surnames.behindthename.com/name/moreau) from the French General Directorate for Internal Security and Colin Jones from MI6.

Team Leaders are:  Electronics, Juan Sanchez; Hair, Paul Thomas; Make up, Mary Smith; clothing, Kelly Johnson; Documents, Carolyn Ashcroft; Jewelry, Sarah Cox and Passports/Travel, Montgomery Collins.

“Underground agents will be Mark Johnston, Nikki Freeman, Craig Johnson and Frank Mc Coy.  You will meet them in person but when you see them in public you are expected to either ignore them or act like your meeting them for the first time or have forgotten having to have met them before. 

Understood?”  Everyone shakes their heads.

There are five primary agents on the ground that will serve as decoys.  Aaron Ahrens of France whose parents were German.  Aaron holds a dual passport.  The second agent will be Sonja Percy of the FBI [International Operations Division](https://www.fbi.gov/about/leadership-and-structure/international-operations).  Her partner/spouse will be Christopher LaSalle on loan from NCIS.  Some of you know Aaron and Sonja from other projects.  Agent LaSalle was assigned because he speaks French fluently even if it is with an Alabama twang and he and Agent Percy have shared several assignments in the past while working at NCIS.  We did not feel that we had the time to completely groom a new team from scratch to work so closely together so we borrowed Mr. LaSalle for a key piece of the puzzle. 

Agents in the Far East will be Aiko [Yoshimura](https://www.familyeducation.com/baby-names/name-meaning/yoshimura?role=S) and John Kim also posing as a married couple. We are not sure if we will be in Hong Kong or China, but we want to make sure that we have all of our bases covered.”

“Okay Neil, you’re up”

“Ladies and gentlemen please turn to page B-1 in your packet.

The topic today ladies and gentlemen is Gold.  It is one of the top twelve trafficked item in the world.  The primary sources are from the nations of  Russia and South Africa  to western nations of the Germany, the United States and China.  Our mission is to find the primary sources coming out of Hong Kong and terminating in   the US and Germany.”

What seemed forever began.  Percy had been correct there was a lot of information to remember and this was all in English.

All right, I think that concludes the briefing for this morning.  Leave your notebooks in this box.  We will reconfigure the room and you can pick them back up at 1300.  Remember that this is classified.

“Percy, over here.”  “Stop Chris, someone could see us.”  “Who cares were married remember.”  “Chris stop before you get too motivated.”  “All right.”

Four hours later in the car

“Wow that was deep.  How are we going to pull that off?”  “Well Mrs. Green I don’t see the problem.  It will provide perfect cover for us to get a little closer.”  “LaSalle your incorrigible.”  “What do you want to do for dinner?”  “How about going shopping?  “You can stash some of your food at my place for when you are there.”  “You’re assuming I’m going to spend time there?”  “Well, yeah.  We have a mission to prepare for.” “All right let’s do it.” 

“Hey that wasn’t so bad.  I haven’t been in a real store for a long time.  I’ll try a few new foods.”

The week went by quickly.  Sonja and I spent almost every night in my hotel room or her condo quizzing each other or working on financials for the European Union, France and Germany.  She was good about keeping me at a distance but did give in to me kissing her on occasion and holding her hand.  On week three however, our handler asked to meet with us. 

“Okay you guys, I thought that you were going to work into this naturally but you seem to be keeping each other at arm’s length.  You are going to be a married couple on this mission.  You need to start acting like it.  I’m sending you shopping next week here and in NYC.  While you will have a two bedroom hotel suite in New York, I expect you to come out of that main hotel room door as a couple.”

That weekend we went dancing.  I must have been holding her too tight because she poked my stomach.  “Stop LaSalle.  That’s too much.”  “What?”  I looked down at her.  “I’m not the only one poking here.”  Oh she was right.  “Look Sonja.  You must know how I feel about you by now.  That was my body responding to my heart and mind being so close to you like this". We walked out to the balcony closely so that I could calm down.

Our goodbyes however became more difficult to overcome.  Twice she shouted at me to get out. She didn’t know that I was still on the other side of the door and could hear her panting too.

Sunday afternoon we went to play tennis.  It was no match but we just volleyed as a way to let off steam.  I opened the car door for her to get in and bent down to kiss her.  She let me and that was that.  A horn honked at us and the guy shouted for us to go find a room.

When we got back to her condo she said “just let me out at the curb."  I knew Sonja Percy enough not to argue.  She was in running mode.  How far could she run?  We worked at the same place.


	5. The Regalia

Our time with Kelly Johnson got annoying real quick.  Sonja and I walked in on an argument the first day between him and our supervisor insisting that he knew exactly what he was doing.

He was adamant that for the most part our “costumes” be off the rack but high end.  His experience had shown that there was a high probability that enemy agents would check the labels in our clothes and that custom made clothing or missing labels would raise red flags.

Most of Percy’s clothes had to be tailored because she was so short.  Neither of us had worn real clothes for a while.

Percy had something to say about every piece that I picked out she got too close too many times.  Kelly told us we need to quit because we were beginning to sound like an old married couple which I thought was the plan.

The mirrored speech did begin to return which I saw that as a plus.  Often while on missions at NCIS I marveled at Sonja’s anticipation of what my next move would be.  Surprised by a sound at a door or other noise, Sonja would automatically take an adjoining or complimentary stanch.

The first day was spent on clothing.  The second day was spent on outwear.

Sonja

Oh hell no.  Allowing me to do nothing but shop?  I could only dream.

Here is the second day that I get to do nothing but shop.  I had no idea that there could some many coats.  We had been whisked off to NYC early Tuesday morning.  They made a big deal of it.  The sale clerk only knew us as the Greens -- some high rollers looking for new clothes before we left for Europe.

Mr. Green and I stepped fulling into our roles.  I found myself enjoying it a little too much.  I had something to say about every shirt that Chris tried on.  A touch here and touch there sent electricity through my fingers.  Did he just hesitate like he enjoyed my touch I wondered?

Once I came out with a pair of trousers that I thought were too tight.  As I stood modeling them, he pinched a seam and said “yeah you might want to go up a size” Once I tripped on a belt and he rushed to catch me before I hit the floor and then flashed me that LaSalle smile.

Quit Sonja.  Don’t get ahead of your skis I thought.  This is our job.  In a few weeks he’ll be gone again no matter how it appears that he is into this.

On Thursday we went to the jewelers. The “company” gave us a budget and allowed us to pick out our own watches and rings.

I noticed that Chris had managed to ease himself toward me as I went to picked out a wedding band.  I stopped to look at several wedding sets before I went over to the bands.  I did find these dream rings first and modeled them for him.  I said “a girl can dream can’t she” I asked him?”  He seemed to smile kindly, but also seemed unusually quiet.

I finally picked out a band.  Chris ended up getting the male version of the same ring.  After that I moved over to get some necklaces and earrings.  I looked up to see LaSalle talking to the manager and then they shook hands.  


“What was that about” I asked?  “Oh I was just thanking him for working with us.

LaSalle called me over later to help him pick out a couple of watches, a tie clip and cuff links.  One pair had his initials on them.  I picked up a pair of “Ls” he laughed and picked up the “G”.  “Mrs. Green are you remembering?” he whispered into my ear.

All finished we went next door to the Custom Milliner which Christopher called it or a plain ole hat shop that I would call them and selected hats. Now I can wear a hat!  Chris laughed having a called me Princess Margaret.  He reminded me of an old actor named Humphrey Bogart that I had seen in black and white movies.

Not sure how I could be tired from shopping but I was getting there.  We stayed downtown to eat and took an Uber back to the hotel.

I showered to get the New York grit off me.  I allowed my mind to wander wondering just what might be going on in the next room.  This is getting too deep I thought.  I formulated my own plan to put an end to this tension.  I snuck out and went downstairs to the gift shop.  Blue or black I wondered with night gowns in hand?  I couldn’t decide so I just bought them both.  Smiling on my way back to the suite, I continued to plan a night that neither of us would forget.


	6. Upping the Game

Sonja was still playing the game of cat and mouse.  She would allow me to get just so close and then mange to make it clear that we weren’t going any further at that particular moment.  I got tired of the cold showers.

Our handler called us into her office and handed us tickets for the theatre for Friday night.  I must have given her that look and she reacted quite curtly.  “Look Mr. Green you’re on the clock 24/7 unless you intend to put in for a leave for the weekend.”  “Not this weekend but in a couple more.  I’ll have the leave slip on your desk Monday morning” I say as I snatch the tickets out of her hand.  Sonja responds ‘thank you” trying to be the diplomat.  “Come LaSalle, she just doing her job”.  Well I was hoping to go someplace and scope out some women that night”.  “Do you mean get lucky?” Sonja says and rolls her eyes at me.

As we leave work Friday afternoon Sonja says “I wonder if I have time to take a nap.  Maybe not.  I forgot that I have to get my hair done.”  “So what are you wearing?” I ask.   “That black sheathe.”  “Interesting.”  “What does that mean?”   “I was just wondering where you carry your gun with something that tight on.”  “We have our techniques” I respond laughing.  “Remind me again what time you want me ready.”  “I’ll be there at 6:45.  The curtain goes up at 8:00.”

_Later that evening_

“Hey you clean up real nice.  Well these shoes are too tight.  I think I’ll bring my own tux back when we go to Alabama next weekend”  “We?”  “Yes, we Sonja.  I want to go see Cade. Half of our conversations on the phone revolves around you.  I would hate to have to explain how I left you here and came without you.”  “Hey just set your go bag over there” Sonja says.

 “Explain something to me Sonja.”  “What?” “How do you get all of that hair into that little bitty knot on top of your head?”  “Practice dear.”  “Why do you say things like that?”   “Back up Chris.  We’re on a schedule.”  “Then why would you speak to me like that when you know it turns me on”  “What doesn’t turn you on LaSalle?”  “That’s your fault.”  “Mine?”  “Yes, you shouldn’t be so sexy.”

“Here, help me with this” I say as I struggle to comfortably wear the bow tie.  “Whose big idea was this anyway?”  “They explained that Chris.  They want us to be seen.”  “That reminds me Mr. Green -- grab the keys for the Benz. They are hanging over there by the back door. ”  “Alright Mrs. Green, I’m ready how about you?”  “Certainly dahling.” Sonja responds.  Oh wait a minute go ahead, I forgot a bracelet.  I’ll be right down.”

_Three hours later._

“I can’t believe that you fell asleep!”  “Look I was tired.  I was up half the night working on those investments.  Why do we have to learn the Tokyo market anyway when we’re going to Germany and France.”  “You know why.  Just in case we end up tracking people in Hong Kong.

So do you want me to drive or are you awake enough?”  “Well Mrs. Green if you want to drive, I’ll let you”  “Here take this off” she says.as she reaches for my bow tie.  “Well Mrs. Green you do care!”  “Come on Sundance.  Let’s get out of here so I can take these shoes off.”

Back at her condo I ask “Hey can you get me my keys? I must have left them in your purse.”  “No you put them in your go bag.  It’s over here by the fridge   “Wait, stay right there.  I’ll be right back.  Hey I was trying to figure out which one of these to put on.  Do you prefer one?” “Well this is a real surprise” I say as Sonja holds up two negligees.  “How about neither one?”  “Pick one and I’ll put it on.”  “The blue one.”  “Okay, I’ll be right back.  You still have a couple of beers in the fridge.”

“Hey Percy, I know these aren’t my sweats” I say as she reappears.  “Well, Yes.  I thought that you would need something to sleep in tonight. I snuck them out of your room last night.”

“Sonja, I don’t that I need another drink.  Come here.”  We wrote our own production that night.  For months we had held each other at arm’s length.  I don’t think either of us could say that it wasn’t worth the wait.  We didn’t even bother getting dressed on Saturday.  Having a restaurant across the street came in handy.  Sonja had planned everything well and even had cash on hand to tip the delivery boy.

We had banana cream pie after dinner but think that more cream ended up on our bodies than in our stomachs.

As we lay in bed later Sunday afternoon, Sonja spoke up “Hey I was thinking since we have a short day tomorrow, why don’t we stop by your hotel room and pack up everything and bring all your stuff here?  You’re here most of the time anyway.”  “Are you sure City Mouse?”  “Yes it looks like we’re in it for a while.” I pull her close and say “look you need to be sure.  This is a big step and I don’t want to mess up what we could have by moving too fast.  You know that you don’t like being rushed.” “Look Chris.  I have been away from you too long.  We put ‘us’ off for a long time.  Anyway it will help us get into a routine.  We’re supposed to have been married for five years.”

“Yeah that sounds about right.  I need to practice doing this and this…” as I found new places on her neck to explore.


	7. The Secret

 “Do you have everything? “Sure,  you do know that I know how to pack right.”  That’s not what meant.  I want you to be comfortable too.

“Well, let’s go that’s the car service” I say as my phone dings.

“So tell me about the farm” Sonja asks.  My father bought it for Rose as a wedding present. It’s a working farm:”  “What does that mean?”  “They breed horses and we raise crops primarily corn, barley and wheat.  They also have a stand of peach trees and grow hay and oats for the horses.” I’m sure that you will love it.  You’ll have access to the pool too.

The flight was uneventful.  Rose sent a car for us with a fully stocked bar.

“Christopher darling, it’s good to see you.  And welcome dear.”  “Sonja Percy ma’am.”  “As I told you, Sonja and I work together.”  “Excuse me.  Kent takes the bags up.  I guessing the pink one belong to Ms. Sonja.  Put them into Miss Kit’s room.”

“Christopher I didn’t know if you had eaten.  Can Marie fix you something lighter or warm up the post roast we had for dinner.  Rose you know that I would never turn down Marie’s pot roast.  I had told Kent that Sonja was vegan.”  “Yes, we have food for her.  Why don’t you go upstairs and freshen up while Marie gets your food ready.  Nice meeting you Ms. Sonja.”

I take Percy’s hand as we climb up the stairs.  “Here Sonja.  This is my sister’s room.  You can change if you want.  I think that I’ll just put on a clean shirt.  It will just be the two of us eating.  We could eat in my room if you prefer.”  “No, downstairs will be fine” she replies.

As I close the door, I find that all of my clothing had been put away.  There were beautiful yellow roses on my dresser.  How sweet of Chris I thought.  I was impressed that he remembered that they were my favorites.

When we came downstairs we found the dining table sat elegantly in candle light.  I gasped “Oh Chris, it’s beautiful.  “I wanted to make this a memorable event. “What?”  You’re meeting my family for the first time.”

“By the way, Ms. Rose was hoping that you would join her for some ‘girl time’, her words, tomorrow.  I hope that you will go Sonja.  You deserve some down time. I always see you living and working in a man’s world.  There is nothing wrong with being pampered.  I noted you like frilly things too.  Enjoy being around her and momma these next two days, okay?”

We look up to see Marie bringing in our dessert.

Finished with dinner I asked Sonja if she wanted to go upstairs or have a few more drinks around the pool.

“Let’s go on upstairs.  It’s been a long day.  I would like to take a shower.”

I took probably the shortest shower in my life.  I was waiting for Sonja when she came out of her shower.  “Don’t bother” she jumps “getting dressed.  Just come on over here”.  “You’re very presumptuous Agent LaSalle.  Well I was just hoping to get lucky.”  “Give me a minute Romeo.” Safely in my arms I reminded Sonja of just why she wanted to be with me.

Saturday was long.  My secretary brought lunch in and the next thing I knew it was 6 p.m.  “We need to wrap this up Rachel.  Rose is expecting me for sit down dinner.”

“I’m disappointed Christopher.  I was hoping to show you off at the club.”  “You know I’m seeing Sonja.”  “Chris I hear that you have had a lot women in New Orleans.”  “Sonja is special Rachel.  Just leave it alone.”

I meet Sonja coming down the stairs as I walk in the door.  She greets me with a broad smile and offers to go back upstairs with me.  “No, you go on into the library and be charming.  I’ll be down in a minute.  Wait a minute Cinderella.  You have a tag sticking out.  I thought that dress looked new.”

_30 minutes later_

“Hello Christopher, how did your day go?”  “We had a lot to do.”  “Well, I asked Rachel if she wanted to join us but she begged off saying that she had papers to file.”

I grinned at Percy and took her hand as we all walked down to the dining room.

Later at the pool I suggested to Sonja that we take a bike to momma’s tomorrow.  I don’t know Chris.  Don’t you think that we should be a little careful?  We have no idea when we will be leaving the country.”

We took the bike anyway ending the afternoon at mommas after visiting Cade.  After dinner, I suggested that we walk down to the creek.  “You know Sonja, I have had a lot of time to think about you since you left New Orleans.  I regretted letting you go without telling you that I should not have let you go without seeing where a relationship with you could so.  Now I can’t see ever letting you leave me again.”

“Here sit here on this log.  Sonja Percy I say kneeling, you are my heart.  I want to be with you always.  I do not want to pretend that you are my wife.  I want to be with you for the rest of eternity.  I want to awaken to your smile every morning.  I want you to bare my children.  I want you by my side every day.  Will you marry me?” Through her tears, Sonja says “yes”.

I pull out a box with her rings inside “oh Chris” she exclaims as she sees the very same set that she admired when we were hunting rings for Mr. and Mrs. Green.  I put both rings on her finger and after she admires them place the wedding band back into the box.

“Look we have a three day weekend in two weeks.  We don’t have to be in the SKIF until 1 p.m.  Let’s go to the court house first thing Monday morning and get a marriage license and come back and get married in two weeks.  We can catch the 9:45 flight back to D.C.”  “Sounds like a plan” Sonja says as she plants one on me.

We made it back on Monday as planned.

“Hey I want to make a call.  Hey Tammy.”  “Hey Christopher what’s up?”  “Hey I wondered if you wanted to join Percy and me at the farm in two weeks.  We have that three day weekend coming up.  Things are kind of getting lousy and Sonja wanted to see you” I lied.

“Well let me check with Pride to make sure.”  “Oh and Tammy, bring something ‘After Five.’  A dress would be best.”  “A dress, are you serious LaSalle?”  “Humor me Tammy”

_Two weeks later_

“Hey Percy you’re alone.”  “Yeah.  I kind of wanted to talk to you alone.  We didn’t tell you the whole story.  Chris and I are getting secretly married tomorrow.”  “What?  Why keep it a secret?”  “We don’t know what they would say so were just going to do it.  We really do want you here, but we also thought that someone should have documentation in case something happens to one of us.”

“Oh Sonja make sure that I hug you when we get out of the car.”

Early Saturday afternoon Chris’ childhood friend married us.  I don’t know when I had ever been this ecstatic.  A lady in town some how found the gown that I want in just four days.  She said there are very few size 0 brides and the manufacturer nearly gave it to her for the shipping cost. After she steamed it out for me all it took was two seems in the back for a perfect fit.  With my three inch heels it was perfect.  Hat or veil?  Hard choice, I finally chose an elbow length veil.

Chris said that he was happy that Cade had a lucid day.  The sun shone so beautiful.  One of the ponies ran into the camera shot making it an amazing photo.  We ‘stayed’ overnight in this cabin at the top of the hill.  Tammy snuck into town and bought me this amazing gown and matching robe.  She knew that I had bought Chris lounge PJs with a green striped robe that we saw while buying our wardrobe a few weeks back.  We looked too good to take our clothes off.

We were awakened early by the horses.  We thought maybe there was a big cat somewhere but we never saw one.

We met Tammy for breakfast on Monday morning then Tammy and I went for a quick nine holes.  By the time we got back, Sonja had us all packed.

After a quick shower, we headed to the airport.  Sonja and Tammy clung to each other like long last sisters.  She must have sensed that something deep was going on.  Of course she had no idea that we were heading to Europe in nine short days.

We flew right into National without a problem.  We only had to unpack since Marie had washed all of our clothing while we were at breakfast.

I was tired from the round of golf and woke up to a huffy new wife on Tuesday morning.  Not quite the bridal night I envisioned Mr. Green.” Sonja spouts off.   Red faced I promised my new bride that I would make it up to her that night.


	8. Jeopardy

The final days in our preparation passed by quickly.  Our U.S. handler told us she was impressed at how realistic our intimacy came across.  “Who said we we’re acting?” Sonja retorted.  She laughed and then we did too.

Those last days in America were heaven to us.  We could show our love to each other freely without questioning eyes.  More than one person told how great we looked together and how well we were ‘selling’ that we were a couple.

We took the afternoon United flight out of Dulles.   Eight hours later, we landed at Rhein-Main airport in Frankfurt.  Most Germans speak English due to the long time presence of American troops in the former West Germany.  The Germans appreciated the fact that we tried to speak their language but we were happy to be able to converse in English.

We met our German partner the next day.  Aaron Ahrens was born in France.  His mother had escaped Auschwitz and his father lived through the horror of Buchenwald.  Aaron’s father was a doctor.  After war the family went to France where Aaron learned French fluently. His parents only spoke German in the home when he was a child.

Fortunately we had access to a number of secure facilities in country since we had so many American bases throughout the country so staying in touch with our superiors and personal support was not a problem.

Sonja and I managed to “christen” every hotel room that we rented in Germany.  She told me one day that she wondered who gets a 45 day paid honeymoon?”

The mission progressed along and it was time to move into a more dangerous portion of the operation.  We finally decided that we need to tell someone in our chain of command about our legal arrangement.  We had prearranged for Tammy to send the Director a secure message after we sent her one saying “now is the time”.  We spoke to him on the screen two days later.  If looks could kill then we would both be dead.  He only mentioned that we needed to stay focused on the mission and that the three of would meet when we were back in country.

The dominoes in Germany also began to fall.  We finally reached the lieutenant in the operation who was in Hong Kong. Sonja and I were set up in an apartment in an area where a lot of westerners’ families lived.  Mrs. Green was known for her furs.

Aaron had flown into Hong Kong two days after us.  We had all been there two weeks when I arranged a face to face meeting with the MI6 operative.  With our plans confirmed, I headed back to meet with Aaron at our flat. I stopped to get some flowers to surprise my wife with.

I knew something was wrong as soon as I came through the door. Sonja greeted me way too enthusiastically by calling me the wrong name.  “Hey City Mouse, looks like you forgot the wine.”  “Oh my” I respond as I planted my feet, “I guess I did.  So who’s our guest?”  “Aaron’s friend.  She met him on his flight the other day.”  Aaron had been clear that he did not know anyone in Hong Kong except the M16 agent that I had just left so I was left wondering who this mystery woman was. “I forgot what you were cooking.”  “Just some big old meatballs you know how I love them.”  Now I knew something was wrong.  Sonja doesn’t eat meat. “So what else would you need honey.”  “Let me think.”

“Oh, by the way” Sonja says.  “King called while you were out.  The kids were with him tonight CJ & Emily.”  “What’s up with the kids?”  “I guess Emily has a new boyfriend.  He works at that new bar The Veranda. You know that dump.”  The veranda is what King calls his sleeping porch and Sonja doesn’t call Pride King.  Okay, there are three of them down here and one more upstairs.  “CJ says he’s taking care of Sabastian for us just fine. 

“Sabastian is a bulldog we had Aaron.  Bulldog is what Sonja called her gun.  “I was always tripping over it.  He would always brush against my leg.”  That meant Sonja had her gun strapped to her thigh.  “We had a cat too.  Comet hated the dog”.  “Yeah I had a cat at one time too.  Stayed on my nerves too.  Always hiding someplace.” 

So Aaron remembers that we have a gun under the sink.  “How many bottles Sonja?”  “3 should be okay.”  She has three clips of ammo. “I started for the door. “No kiss good bye for you wife?”  “Oh new love" Aaron says.  Just as I went to grab Sonja, she turns and we turn the table over.  Aaron dove for the sink as a shot rings out.  Sonja fires at the bedroom door as the other one came out of the bathroom. Aaron nailed him.  I got the woman at the table before she could get to her gun.  Suddenly the fourth gun man burst through the window guns a blazing.  His gun jams and just as Sonja stood up he pulled out a hand gun and turned her way.  Aaron threw himself on Sonja and took the rounds intended for her.  I shot the fourth guy with everything that I had left.

I rush to Aaron’s side and saw what appeared to be a fatal wound in his chest. “Thank you Aaron I cried out.  “Thank you for saving my wife."  As I held him, he slipped away from this earth.

Suddenly my ear piece started up with chatter. “Green we’re coming in.”  “MI6 is here” Sonja said as I turn my attention back to Aaron.

It didn’t take long for the medical personal to arrive but I knew it was too late.  I pulled Sonja into my arms as they took Aaron’s body way.


	9. Reality Check

With the mission over, it was time to go home.  Home.  The job had allowed us to become even closer.  Those on the operation thought that we were actually married.  Our D. C. handler told that he thought we deserved acting awards remembering back to one specific fitting that I had.  He said that he was ready to put Sonja out of the fitting room at her constant negative comments about the fit, colors and the style of every piece of clothing on the racks of clothes selected for me. 

We endured a long three day debrief.  The Mission Director commended us for a great job but we were deflated at losing a trusted team member.

Sonja broke down recounting the incident where our associate Aaron was killed in the shootout in our flat.  He certainly saved Sonja’s life that day.  As he died in my arms the last words he heard came from my mouth was “thank you for saving my wife”  I know that he died without knowing that Sonja was the most precious thing in the world to me.  Sonja and I would always remember what he did for us and named our daughter Erin after him.

We managed to ignore the elephant in the room for a week.  What are we going to do?  We, rather I, have a meeting with the Director that I was not looking forward to.

He was quit pissed at me but in the end, left me in temporary duty status to the FBI unit under one condition -- I had to fly to New Orleans and tell King personally face to face.  The conversation did not go well.  King had no idea what the mission that I was assigned to involved.  He was stunned to learn that I not only had a new wife but that it was Sonja.  He had tried to link our former issue with the two of us.  “Is that why Sonja left the team.”  “Yes partially.”  “And Chris that’s why you had the rough patch where you wouldn’t/couldn’t work together?  Tammy knew didn’t she?”  “Yes” I said.  “I wondered why she kept telling me to give it some time, but it kept getting worse.”

The movers came and packed up the house.  One condition that I had for relocating to D.C. was that I had to live on the water.  Sonja dreaded the idea of possibly losing the house to a storm.  I helped her resolve it through purchasing a second chest like the gun closet.  It was waterproof and I placed on the second floor secured to a joist and housed the negatives, data cards and albums from our wedding in it.  We would add photos and other memorabilia as our life together progressed. Our house was also elevated above the possible storm surge.


	10. The Prologue

Our son Dylan King LaSalle was born five years after we returned from our first assignment together.  Sonja stayed home for three months and then benched her own self for nine more.  I took an overseas assignment when Dylan was six months old.  Crying in my beer one night in Tele Vive I swore that I would never do that again.  It was the first time that Sonja and I had been apart for more than three days in six years

Erin was born three years later.  We asked Aaron’s sister to be her godmother.  We spent about a year after that working with the CIA to identify the holes in protecting our overseas assets.  We also met with MI6, Interpol and Mossad to better train American agents in interacting with our allied partners.

We had chosen well in the purchase of our home.  Both of our children excelled in the class room at fine schools.  Dylan graduated as the Salutatorian and accepted a full scholarship at Harvard.  After a year at Oxford, he returned to attend Harvard Law. 

Erin did her pre-med at UNC at Chapel Hill and then attended the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine.    Having all her future financial needs met through her trust fund from the sale of LaSalle oil, Erin planned on practicing at one of the military hospitals in D.C. or the Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.  It pleased us both that her passion was to help America’s wounded warriors.

Sonja and I probably could have worked into our 60’s but decided to return to the warm waters of Alabama earlier than most.  After helping us to raise our children, Momma wanted to spend her last days at her farm.  We built a new home on a rise of land on the north side of the property.  I could see the island from the porch where Cade I spent so many hours on as boys.  I dredged a channel allowing me to get my boat out to the open water.

Erin found a research project in her mental health rotation that had some promising papers on the condition of her Uncle Cade.  He was able to get into a trial and responded well to the initial treatment.  Now living on his own about 30 miles from momma, he made it weekly down to see us and sis.

I think that Sonja really wanted a third child but felt guilty of all the time she spent away from our first two children.  Tammy suggested that she volunteer at the high school ROTC program near us.  Soon our house was overrun by teenagers.  I was also rewarded with some new hunting buddies.  I knew that some them would learn from tracking animals and that the skill would come in handy for future service in the military or law enforcement.

Years later a new wave of babies invaded our lives.  There were five LaSalles and many others from our ROTC brood.

I sit here looking at photos from our life together.  Here’s one of Sonja in that yellow canary dress that Brody and I found of her when she first started at NCIS.  I have to come up here and look at photos every time I come from the grave yard.  Her sudden death surprised us all.  We had learned about fifteen years ago that she had picked up a parasite somewhere.  The doctors were never sure just where but I always wondered if it was the day she jumped into the water with a suspect hiding from a drug lord.  Brody and I were so relieved when King pulled her out the water before they could shoot them.

I miss her dearly and look forward to joining my City Mouse someday.  “Look Sundance, don’t fret” she had told me one day. “Let’s just plan our adventures one day at a time, find a new place to make love each day and fall asleep in each other’s arms every night.

We were in Paris on assignment one day when I entered a conversation with a woman in French.  “You and your amour look so happy.”  She asked how long we had been together.  I had to think before I responded “12 years, we had retrouvailles”  I responded.  She smiled and retorted “I’m glad that you found each other again.”  What did you say to her Chris Sonja asks?  The word _Retrouvailles_ means ‘The happiness of meeting again after a long time’  You know like of a romantic reunion.”

Well it’s bed time LaSalle I say out loud with dread in my heart.  I miss you my sweet Sonja I think as I turn out the light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know, I always cry at the end too.


End file.
